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Art and Beauty

By Lynda Lehmann

For years I have been asking myself: "Why does beauty exist? Just why
is there beauty in the world at all?" Our need as a
species to groom, to acquire, to procreate, to hunt and gather,
to stake out territory, all come from the survival imperative
that has impelled us through the ages. But in addition to these
more obvious needs of the human condition, there is a universal
recognition, pursuit, and enjoyment of what we call "beauty." Though
the apperception of beauty varies according to time, culture and temperament,
it is nevertheless, pervasive and universal.

Whether there exits an objective validation or proof for the
idea of beauty matters not, for if the perception of beauty is
universally wired into our senses and intrinsic to the human mind,
it exists as powerfully as if it had an objective life outside
of us. The effect is the same: a compelling and powerful moment
of arrested perception that illuminates our thoughts and impressions
with an image, either natural or manmade, that moves us inexplicably.

I wonder if our "biologically unnecessary" recognition of beauty
means that we were programmed to aspire towards the transcendent,
the logical outgrowth of which is a belief in a higher power,
rather than for mere survival. Though I do not believe in the
generally divisive structures of organized religion, I believe
our universal recognition and pursuit of beauty and our proclivity
for wonder, so thoroughly programmed into the species, offer proof
of the existence of God. How could magnificence be so universal
and compelling, if not by design? Why would it exist, by virtue
of evolution or any other force, if not to inspire us to recognize
the higher values implicit in the idea of "Deity"?

I once heard the expression, "the metaphysics of cloth." This
simple phrase resonated with a truth I had already recognized.In my experience,
the beauty that occurs by chance or accident is often more beautiful than the
beauty achieved by consciously manipulating an arrangement. Which is not to
say that a painting (even in the "accidental" genre) isn't premeditated
and planned as the artist ponders the visual presentation he/she would like
to create. But perhaps the phrase should be amended to be more
all-inclusive. "The metaphysics of everything" would be more
accurate. The quality we call "beauty" is evident in every glimpse
of the visible universe. Indeed, the ubiquitous beauties of the
world seem to emanate from every chink and pore, as well as at
levels too large or small to be apparent to the naked eye (i.e.
both the telescopic and microscopic levels).

For me, the activity of creating art is an affirmation of life,
a consciously nurtured joy in the miracle of form at all levels
of the cosmos. The interrelationships among forms and organisms
reveals itself at every level of nature. Each stage of organization,
from the atomic and cellular, through tissues and organs, and
up through organisms and species, is at once a microcosm and a
macrocosm to the levels above and below it. I think it is this
profound organization and similarity in form and function at every
level of nature, this brilliantly orchestrated unity-in-diversity,
that makes the forms of flowers, seashells and fractals appealing
to so many people. It's not strictly the beauty expressed by
the singular object, but also the relationship of its form to
the greater "FORM" in nature, to the cosmic "WHOLE," that
implies
something more profound and far-reaching than a single moment
of beauty. When something refers to eternity, evokes the infinite,
we feel inspired, whether or not we tie those feelings to any
specific view of God. •

Even as a child, I felt awed by nature's many wonders. Relishing the forms of beauty all around me, often distracted me from other things. As an adult, I realize that my love of beauty has inspired my life. I celebrate the "ubiquitous beauties of the world" in my art. More »